Rant: Finished plywood edges vs doing hardwood banding on a whole kitchen job

Last month I wrapped up a kitchen install where the customer wanted prefinished ply edges on all the cabinets. I told them hardwood banding would hold up better near the dishwasher and sink, but they wanted to save the $400 for labor and materials. Fast forward 6 weeks and I'm back there this Tuesday replacing two door panels where the veneer edge chipped off from a little steam and a kid bumping into it. The customer admitted they should have listened and now they're paying almost double for me to redo it with solid maple strips. Has anyone else dealt with customers pushing back on edge banding only to regret it later?

2 comments

2 Comments

adam_robinson6d ago

Ugh, that's brutal. Nothing stings worse than being proven right after you warned them.

ericgonzalez6d ago

Being proven right after you warned them" is the worst, especially when it costs them more in the long run. I always tell people to think of edge banding like a cheap tire - itll get you down the road, but dont act surprised when it blows out on you.